Improvement in the construction of ordnance



G. W; STAFFORD.

Ordnance. No. 46,506.

Patented Feb. 21, 1865.

wg j i INVENTOR 6% 2% N-FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASMINGTOI. D13,

NITED STATES PATENT FFICEO CHARLES W. STAFFORD, OF OLD SAYBR-OOK,CONNECTICUT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,506, dated February21, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. STAFFORD, of Old Saybrook, Middlesexcounty, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement inOrdnance; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aplan or top view of a cannon illustrating my invention. Fig. 2represents a vertical axial section of the main portion of the gun, anda side elevation of the breechpiece and plug, hereinafter described.Fig. 3 represents a vertical axial section of the entire gun.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalviews.

My invpntion relates to an improved manner of constructing a cannon witha trunnionband and one or more re-enforce-bands, applied in the mannerhereinafter described.

A represents the main body of the cannon, constructed with an enlargedopen chamber for the reception of a chambered breech-piece, B, which maybe of the form represented in the drawings, and may be secured withinthe gun by a screw-thread, 1), upon its central part, fitting acorresponding thread in the gun.

T T represent the trunnions formed upon a band, U, adapted to encirclethe gun, and formed at back with an inwardly-projecting flange, a, whichfits against a shoulder, a, on the gun, so as to prevent thedisplacement of the trunnion-band in a forward direction.

One, two, or more re-enforce bands, R R, of wrought-iron, are shrunkonto the breech in customary manner to strengthen the gun, and servealso to secure the trunnion-band in place. The edges of the saidtrunnion-band and re-enforce bands are tongued and grooved, as shown atr, to afford mutual strength and support to each other.

1? represents a screw-plug occupying an aperture in the upper side ofthe breech, and affording communication with an annular chamber, C,around the smaller front part, B, of the breech-piece B.

c 0 represent channels communicating between the chamber C and the boreof the gun.

I In constructing a gun according to my in vention, the main part isfirst formed solid of either cast or wrought iron or steel, with theenlarged chamber at back, and the latter threaded to receive and holdthe breech-piece. The said breech-piece, also cast solid, and formed onits exterior, as shown, is then screwed in and the various bandsapplied, the trunnion-band being driven on andthe re-enforce bandsheated and shrunk on. The piece is then bored from the muzzle throughthe main body of the gun and into the breechpiece, the channels 0 0already formed upon the forward end of the breech-piece affordingcommunication between the bore and chamber C. The vent may be formed andlocated in any suitable way.

This gun is intended to be loaded from the muzzle in customary manner;but the invention may also be applied to breech-loading guns, ifdesired. The chamber C is charged by removing the plug 1? and pouringpowder through the aperture. An additional plugged opening may be madeto communicate with the under side of the chamber C, so that the lattermay be thoroughly cleansed by running through it any suitable wash.

WVhile disclaiming the general principle of so constructing and applyingre-enforce bands as tobreak the joints between the same, whether this bedone by lapping, rabbeting, or dovetailing, I claim--- 7 1. Incombination with the cast main body A of a piece of ordnance, two ormore bands, (trunnion and re-enforce,) when secured and strengthenedwith longitudinally-projecting tongues r and correspondinggrooves, inthe manner herein represented. V

2. The combination of the trunnion-band'U, adapted to slip on over thebreech, the flange a, projecting inward from the said trunnion- I hand,the shoulder a, preventing forward displacement 'of the trunnion-band,and one or more re-enforce bands, R, securing it against backwarddisplacement, substantially as here in described.

C. V. STAFFORD. Witnesses:

OCTAVIUS KNIGHT, EDWARD H. KNIGHT.

